Protecting Alzheimer’s Patients from Contractor Fraud

AlzheimersNotes.com

 One of my fears, as my mom became less capable of making decisions and more susceptible to suggestions of strangers, was the possibility of her getting caught in contractor or other type of fraud.  For some reason, at a certain age or stage of Alzheimer’s, parents often resent taking suggestions from their children, especially advice concerning financial and health matters.

My husband Jim, who was a contractor, began making needed repairs to Mother’s house and put new shingles on the roof.  She didn’t understand why she needed a new roof even though the old was leaking into the attic space. 

We lived 275 miles away and couldn’t be with her all the time.  After the roof was repaired, she told us a man stopped by and said those weren’t the right shingles for the roof.  He had better ones.  She wondered if she should have him do the roof.  (She would never have considered this in former years.)

I explained that Jim had taken care of it and this stranger wasn’t telling her the truth.  I was concerned we’d arrive one day and find someone reroofing it. However, I apparently circumvented that.  Mother’s roof remained in tact.

Solicitation from Individuals

Another time, a young woman in the neighborhood convinced Mother to give her money for college.  (Mother, a former teacher, encouraged young people to get a college education.)  I made inquiries and discovered the girl had dropped out of college, but was telling Mother she wanted to go back and needed money. 

(Perhaps she did, but Mother didn’t have the money at that time to finance a college education.  The first money Mother gave her, before I learned of it, obviously wasn’t used for college, unless to repay a loan.)

I was reminded of these concerns and others when I read Carol Bradley Bursack’s, Protecting Seniors from Contractor Fraud and Rip Offs.  (Carol writes Minding Our Elders.)

Here’s an excerpt:

 Most of you readers know that I hold Barbara Mascio, of Senior Approved Services, in the highest regard. Her company strives to make sure that seniors are treated well by every company that serves them.

What challenges have you encountered along these lines and how have you handled them?

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen